


Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice

by happylilthought



Series: Chalex Week 2020 [3]
Category: 13 Reasons Why (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Bakery and Coffee Shop, Chalex Week 2020, ChalexWeek2020, Coffee Shops, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Slow Burn, chalex - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:41:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25759759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/happylilthought/pseuds/happylilthought
Summary: Alex is a 23 year-old entrepreneur who started his first coffee shop post-college when he meets a literal cinnamon-roll manifestation who’s eager to sell his baked goods in Alex’s shop. AKA my take on a Chalex CoffeeShop!AU.Day 3 of Chalex Week: Alternate Universe
Relationships: Charlie St. George & Alex Standall, Charlie St. George/Alex Standall
Series: Chalex Week 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1862938
Comments: 32
Kudos: 79
Collections: Chalex Week 2020





	1. Cinnamon Boy

**Author's Note:**

> [A/N: Welcome back to my delayed Chalex Week submissions! Because they are my absolute fave, please feel free to make yourself a coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or any other hot or iced beverage and enjoy the Chalex CoffeeShop!AU we all deserve in our lives. I also did a little bit of confidence role reversal. Alex is 23 years old and Charlie is 22 in this fic just for context.
> 
> I tried looking up what Alex goes to Berkeley for and I couldn’t find anything declaring his major, etc. so I had the idea that Alex goes in for arts and eventually gets into business/economics a bit and weaves in all his artistic interests into the coffee shop. I’d suggest for the purpose of this fic, Charlie spends some time at culinary school, or at least did a bunch of side classes to make it his unofficial minor because how could I not? ;)
> 
> EDIT: I decided to make this a multi-chaptered fic so I've updated the characters and will update tags as I go.]

It had been a few months since the opening of his business. It hadn’t been his lifelong dream to be an entrepreneur, but the idea of having his own coffee shop started to creep up on him the more time he spent at college. Alex partially blamed all the disgusting hipster coffee shops he ventured to. Whether it was out of spite or ambition, Alex ventured on the journey to designing his own business, and after months of struggling, he’d finally signed the lease on a building he saw promise in. 

The soft opening had been pretty successful; it helped promote his existence, but it was always going to be a struggle to compete in the coffee shop market. There were always new stores popping up and folding within months, let alone the reality of being low on the totem pole in comparison to big box companies. But that didn’t stop him. He was determined to make a real go of it, and build a little cult following. 

Alex had begun to collect a few regulars, and was starting to enjoy the adrenaline that came along with it. He’d already started planning out events he could hold and ways he could support his neighbours. He had an idea for some live music Fridays, and was planning on inviting one of his regulars who’d taken a photography series for his soft opening to hold an exhibition to return the publicity favour.

Alex spent far too much time inventing drinks in his dorm room and forcing his roommate to taste-test the concoctions that he was confident on the menu. Well, apart from the food. They weren’t making much revenue on the current menu, and the company he used to source his baked goods from had just announced they were relocating. 

He’d decided to place an advertisement in the local newspaper, and ask around on social media but he hadn’t had much luck and was starting to lose hope. 

That’s when fate stepped in. 

“What’s a Gloomy Sunday?” 

Alex was startled out of his reverie as the smell of cinnamon filled his nose. He glanced up over the dishwasher to face the newest customer. 

“Oh, it’s like a cross between a London Fog and a latte. Dark roast and oolong tea with milk.” The barista explained, watching the boy scan the menu. Maybe he needed to explain it better, but Alex liked the fun of trying out different drinks and wanted it to be an experience for his customers.

“I’ll try that.” The smile Alex was met with was almost as intoxicating as the aroma. 

_ This kid either had really strong smelling cologne, or he’d just stepped out of a vat of chai tea. _

“What size?” Alex inquired as he started scooping the coffee beans into the machine. 

“Medium, please.” The boy advised, peering at the sad display of baked goods on the counter. 

Alex started brewing the dark roast and moved his attention to the tea. “Can I get you anything else?” 

“Are you looking for a baker?” The hint of enthusiasm in cinnamon-boy’s voice caught Alex off-guard until he remembered the freaking poster he had taped to the glass. 

“Oh yeah, do you know anyone? My supplier is moving, and I’m by no means a baker, so-” 

“I bake.” 

_ As if.  _

Alex furrowed his eyebrow, pouring the boiling water onto the tea bag. “Professionally?” 

“Yeah, I just sent out an order of cinnamon rolls before I came here.” The boy grinned, “If I had known, I could’ve saved you some.”

_ That explains it. _

“That would have been a little weird, honestly.” Alex scoffed, moving along to the milk frother. “But if you’re serious, you can do a trial run? Bring over some samples?” 

“Really?” 

_ Was this kid endearing, or just annoying?  _

“You’re kind of the one who offered.” Alex smirked. “Are you uh, taking this to go, or staying here?” 

“Well I’m staying here now. I have to get a better feel for the place. What did you want to offer; what sells the best?” The barista was met with another round of enthusiasm as he finished mixing the boy’s drink.

In Alex’s opinion, cinnamon-boy needed to embrace the chill atmosphere. The dark roast wasn’t going to help. 

“Speaking of selling, that’ll be $2.37.” Alex recalled as he slid the mug across the counter.

Along with the cash, cinnamon-boy passed over a business card. “Charlie St. George. I work at the bakery on Evergreen Avenue.” 

“Alex Standall. Blackbird Cafe - Owner extraordinaire.” He handed Charlie his change, and pocketed the business card. “My shift’s over in a few hours if you want to stick around? Then we can talk?”

“I’d like that.” Charlie smiled as he took his Gloomy Sunday and found a spot to survey the surroundings. 

~

Three weeks later, Alex found himself still drawn to Charlie even though the cinnamon scent had been short-lived. Though he’d been partial to the first encounter, he had to admit that the varying baked good smell was good for business. As promised, Charlie had started a trial run of treats and they had been selling better than expected.

Alex looked forward to his shifts, knowing that every afternoon at 3:30 p.m. cinnamon-boy would come through the door with a fresh batch of cookies, and another round of ideas. 

“How do you feel about bagels?” 

“Preferential.” 

“Good! I was thinking of making an assortment of savoury and sweet ones. That could increase your breakfast and lunch crowd.” Charlie suggested, flipping through his phone to show Alex a few photos of the ones he’d tested at home. 

“That’s true. What flavours are these?” Alex asked as Charlie leant in closer to him.  _ Today he smelled like lemons.  _

“Good ol’ fashioned cheese, rosemary and chive, cardamom, and oatmeal chai.” Charlie explained, scrolling through the photos.

“Can you bring some of them over this week? I’ll get the team to taste-test them. The scones went over really well. Though, we have some raisin-haters, so don’t take that too personally.” Alex advised, his lips curling at the pride on Charlie’s face. 

The younger boy’s grin had widened at the compliments. “Sure! I really appreciate you letting me do this. I like baking for you - Uh, your shop.” He corrected himself, fingers sliding through his hair as he dropped Alex’s gaze. “I brought lemon shortbread cookies today.” 

“Thought you smelled citrusy today.” Alex admitted, opening the container and sneaking a cookie, completely missing the blush that faintly appeared on Charlie’s cheeks. 

As much as Charlie tried to put on a collected front, he had been stressing the fuck out about baking for the gorgeous boy he couldn't stop thinking about. 

He had happened to stumble into Blackbird Cafe by chance, it was on his route from his last delivery and he needed a pick-me-up for his evening shift. He hadn't managed to stop by when they'd first opened, and had been busy enough at the bakery to wander in. He had been kicking himself for not coming in sooner.

Ever since he walked in the door, he was captivated by Alex. His tousled brown hair, the hint of ink on his bicep peaking through his sleeve, the way his eyes made Charlie lose all his focus, and the soft, teasing smirk that had Charlie up till 2:00 a.m. that night thinking about how much he wanted to kiss those lips. 

Did Charlie have the time to devote to Alex's business? Not really, but did he have the stamina and determination for it? Absolutely.

Although that didn't stop him from putting every effort into perfecting his recipes before he brought them over for sampling. His roommate had started ordering takeout knowing that Charlie would be in the kitchen all hours of the night baking until it was absolutely impeccable. 

Charlie wanted this job. He wanted to impress Alex and be noticed. He liked the way he felt around Alex, and would do anything to keep that feeling.

That's when Charlie went down the loophole of social media. It started off innocently, scrolling through the cafe's Instagram to get a better understanding of their branding and audience, which quickly morphed into searches for tagged photos, and an half-hour long view of Alex's own account. It only made his admiration bigger, and his curiosity tremendous. 

He'd stumbled upon some earlier posts from Alex's early years in college, learning that the tattoo he'd seen was the cafe's namesake. He'd wondered it's significance, as he scrolled through to get a glimpse further into Alex's life and that's when it happened.

❤️  
_ Shit.  
_ _ Fuck.  
_ _ Unlike. Unlike. Unlike. _

Charlie knew that the notification could still appear even though he'd tried to take it back. 

He immediately shut off his phone and pulled the covers over his head. 

_ What an idiot. _

Now he'd done it. What chance was he going to have now? 

Reluctantly, Charlie managed to get a few hours of sleep after tossing around and coating his sheets in panicked sweat. 

The next morning was rough and boy was it obvious.

Charlie's roommate tried to fix his irritated eyes with concealer to no avail, his boss sent him home early, and his cookies scorched. By the time he walked into Blackbird with the salvageable baked goods, he was an anxious mess.

"Are you okay?"

"Can I just get a chamomile tea, please? Large."

Alex started brewing the tea as Charlie fished over the exact change. He had to admit, Charlie was a fast learner. He’d already started to memorize most of the menu.

The barista knew something was wrong the minute he saw Charlie's demeanour, but the burnt smell definitely solidified it.

Alex brewed his tea in silence, putting the bills through the cash register as Charlie took his mug and sat down at his usual table. 

He was debating mentioning it, but he had suspicions as to why Charlie wasn't his cheery self today. Alex saw it in the morning.

_ csaintg liked your photo _

Alex had eyed the photo in question. It was an older post of his from when he'd got his first tattoo. The nostalgia came flooding back as he remembered how anxious he had been, wracking his brain to come up with a memorable design he would look back on fondly. 

Alex had always been a bit of a moody soul. He'd felt out of place and could never fully grasp the reasons why. He'd had a hell of a time in high school, and was relieved to be free of it when he left for college. He could finally discover himself without the restrictions of his hometown holding him back. Alex took full advantage. He had gone out of his comfort zone and taken classes that challenged him, spent all nighters with his roommates in first year, dated a few people, and dabbled with a few versions of self-expression before he found his niche. 

The coffee shop had been another way to weld those different facets of himself together. It was also an homage to his first tattoo. As cliche as it was, ‘Blackbird’ was his favourite song by The Beatles. He’d heard a million covers that perhaps did it more justice than its original; he preferred the haunted acoustic versions of the song. Alex was sure the tattoo artist had done the image many times, but they never once made him feel foolish about his choice. The artist had listened to Alex’s explanations of what he’d wanted and designed a realistic bird that seemed to capture all the pain of Alex’s past. With every pierce of the needle, the memories came flooding back, only to be swept away with the leftover ink. He had finally found some release and relief from the trauma he was once consumed by. What had started out as an homage to his past, including the loss and guilt he’d often been lost in, had faded into something beautiful and hopeful. 

He thought it was funny that Charlie had decided to like that exact photo. Granted, a part of Alex wondered if it was because he’d been showing a bit of himself off in the mirror. Nevertheless, he’d spent the morning mulling over cinnamon-boy’s actions as he opened the shop. 

“Can you cover for me?” The barista asked his colleague, slipping around the counter and making his way to Charlie’s table. 

The boy in question was nearly pulling his hair out, whispering to himself as he let his tea go cold. He was facing the fireplace, his back to Alex as the barista watched him with a faint smile on his face. 

“You sure you’re alright?” Alex asked softly, knowing full well that the answer was no. 

Charlie straightened his posture in the chair as he turned to face Alex. “Uh, yeah, fine.” Immediately, Charlie started sipping on his tea to avoid making a bigger fool of himself.

“Liar. You brought burnt cookies.” Alex smirked, watching Charlie pale at the reminder. 

The boy’s gaze dropped to the table in embarrassment, “I’m sorry…Had a hard time sleeping.”

Alex frowned at the honesty. Charlie didn’t need to be this worked up about liking hi- 

_ Oh.  
_ _ Maybe this wasn’t just about a photo.  
_ _ Did Charlie actually like him, like him?  _

The barista decided to test the waters before he admitted what he knew. “Why?” 

Charlie trailed his thumb across the rim of the mug, stalling to come up with an appropriate response. “I just did something stupid.” 

“Doesn’t sound like you.” Alex smiled fondly, finding the shyness endearing. It was out of character for how he perceived Charlie to be. 

Charlie brought his mug to his lips to hope that the object would cover the blush that appeared on his cheeks. 

Alex decided to put the boy out of his misery. “Look, I know about your Instagram stalking.” 

Of course, Charlie started coughing as he swallowed his tea improperly at the shock.  “W-What?” 

Alex pulled out his phone and slid the notification across the table. “I’m flattered you’re that interested.” 

_ Where was this confidence coming from?  _ It was unfamiliar, but Alex didn’t mind it. Maybe cinnamon-boy was rubbing off on him?

“I was just doing research.” Charlie replied meekly, shoving the phone back in Alex’s direction. 

The smirk on Alex’s face grew wider. “Oh I can tell. Look, Charlie, I really appreciate everything you’ve been doing for the cafe this past month. If you’re still up for it, I’d like to offer you the job.” 

Cinnamon-boy now looked like he was going to cry. 

“Really?” 

“Yeah. I talked to HR about it, so we’ll get you a contract, but I wanted to let you know we wanted to offer you the job. You’ve been so dedicated, and the customers have been loving everything, not to mention the team. I am starting to think we might have to have some team building meetings at the gym, now.” Alex smiled softly, holding his hand out across the table. “So? What do you say?” 

Charlie stared in shock, feeling like he was suffering an out of body experience as he watched his palm intertwine with Alex’s. 

_ “Yes.” _

Alex shook his hand firmly, and Charlie noted that he hadn’t pulled away. His fingers grasped the back of Charlie’s palm, and Charlie could have sworn that Alex’s thumb grazed over his knuckles twice. 

_ That was definitely not a normal handshake. _

“Awesome.” Alex grinned, finally letting his hand fall. “I’ll tell HR and call you when the contract’s ready? You’re more than welcome to stay here until your bakery shift starts. I should get back, but uh…” He paused, scratching the back of his neck. “Do you want to get a drink after work? To celebrate?” 

Charlie thought he was dreaming. There was no way Alex Standall had offered him a job and was asking him out for drinks. 

_ How had he not fucked this up? _

“O-Okay?” Charlie chuckled, feeling himself relax a little. “Sure.” 

“Good. I was hoping you’d say yes.” Alex smiled back, biting his lip as he realized how obvious that sounded. “To the job.” He added, trying his best to cover up the confession.

“Thank you.” Charlie replied, his heart skipping a beat. “I’m glad you offered.” 

Alex smirked, “If I recall, you offered first.” He left Charlie to melt into the chamomile as he returned to his shift. 

Charlie sipped his tea, mulling over the entire conversation.  _ Had Alex been openly flirting? He had to be!  _ Charlie was just confused why. However, when we glanced at his phone, he realized he didn’t have enough time. His shift started in fifteen minutes. 

~

Charlie was distracted the entire day, forced to reknot his pretzels three times, excluding the batch he’d baked incorrectly. After his shift finished, he’d rushed home and proceeded to shower twice for good measure. He’d sprayed too much cologne the first time, and was convinced he needed to stop being so obvious.

He didn’t want to overdo it, so he decided to stay casual in jeans and a t-shirt that fit him more snug than he liked, so he threw a bomber jacket over top. Alex had suggested they go to a craft brewery, and Charlie was trying his best to not screw things up before they’d barely started.

Afraid of being late, Charlie showed up ten minutes early and waited outside for Alex to show up. His face lit up as Alex turned the corner and walked towards him, pocketing his keys in his jean jacket. 

“Hope you weren’t waiting too long.” Alex smiled as he approached the younger boy. The familiar scent of cinnamon made his pulse race.

“No.” Charlie smiled, fiddling with his hands, unsure of the appropriate greeting, and instead opting for opening the door. “Shall we?” 

He and Alex ordered a flight of drinks to taste a few different beers. For good measure, they also agreed to split an appetizer. 

_ Drinks, and dinner? Is he trying to tell me something?  
_ _ No idiot. It’s because of the job. _

“How was your day?” Alex asked, taking a sip of the beer closest to him. 

Charlie laughed softly, shaking his head. “Distracting. What about yours?” 

“Oh, maybe I should’ve kept you on your toes longer?” Alex teased, tapping Charlie’s ankle with his foot.

Charlie ignored the screaming kettle in his mind. “No, I appreciate knowing.” He smiled, following suit and trying the auburn coloured beer in the middle of the flight. 

“Speaking of, we should have the contract written up by the end of the week.” Alex advised, before answering the previous question. “My day was alright, actually, even developed an acquired taste for burnt chocolate chips.” 

Charlie groaned, and covered his head with his palm. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t want to come empty handed.” 

Alex smirked, shaking his head. “It’s fine. I’m sorry you had a bad night… You didn’t need to be that worried about it.” 

Charlie shrugged, taking another sip of his beer. 

“I looked you up too, if that makes you feel better.” Alex confessed, an endearing smile forming as he watched Charlie’s curiosity heighten. 

“You did?” 

“Well, after I saw the notification, yeah.” Alex explained, pulling his phone out of his pocket. “This one was my favourite.” He smirked, scrolling through Charlie’s Instagram and displaying an old baby photo. 

Charlie grinned, scoffing at the teasing. “Shut up. I was a cute baby.” 

“You make it seem past-tense.” Alex quipped, scrolling through his phone. 

_ Did he mean that the way I think he did? _

“Okay, in all seriousness, this one was my favourite.” He confessed, double tapping his phone, and flipping the phone around to face Charlie. 

Charlie’s notifications dinged as he glanced at the photo. He had the widest grin on his face surrounded by baked goods in his kitchen. It was a few years old back when he’d started his apprenticeship at his former workplace. 

“Why?” He asked, reminiscing at the photo. 

“Because you look so happy and in your element.” Alex explained. “I didn’t know someone could be that happy about baked goods, but you’ve definitely changed my opinion now.” He smiled, locking his phone and taking another drink. 

Charlie smiled softly, “I have that effect on people.” 

Their appetizer came shortly after, and the pair of them picked at the nachos while swapping their taste testing beers. The longer the evening went on, the more relaxed Charlie became. He tried not to overthink anything, and just enjoy Alex’s company. He knew that he’d have to set aside his crush now that he’d been hired, and boundaries had been set.

They’d finished the flight, and decided to each order a pint, not ready to leave the brewery just yet. It was Friday evening, and neither of them had to work in the morning. 

Charlie decided to take off his jacket once they’d decided to stay longer. Alex followed suit, but Charlie noticed how Alex’s attention and words trickled off once Charlie’s bomber was off. 

“You were saying?” Charlie asked, taking a ship of his beer and shaking Alex out of his stare. 

“Uh, yeah I was thinking about starting up some live shows just to get more publicity, and see if I can increase the night crowd.” Alex replied, though his eyes still flickered down Charlie’s chest and torso. 

“That sounds like a good idea. Would you do an open mic, or do you have someone lined up to play?” Charlie asked, smirking at Alex’s reaction. 

Alex forced himself to pay attention to Charlie’s lips instead, “I have a few people who were interested originally, so I’ll have to make sure they still want to, and I was thinking of opening up some spoken word spots.” 

“Don’t you play guitar?” Charlie asked, remembering Alex’s Instagram feed. 

“Used to. I used to play bass. Also used to be in a jazz band in high school, if you can believe it.” He scoffed, earning a smile from Charlie. 

“That’s really cool.” 

Alex shrugged drinking his beer, “I guess so. What about you? Who was Charlie St. George in high school?” He inquired with a teasing tone in his voice.

“I like to think I didn’t have a stereotype. I was on Student Council, played football all four years-”

“Really?” Alex asked furrowing his brow. “I wouldn’t have guessed that.” 

“Don’t give off that asshole jock vibe?” Charlie joked. “Good. Like I said, I tried to break those stereotypes.” 

Alex smiled, leaning back in the booth. “I like that.” 

After they finished their drinks, they’d agreed to split the appetizer but Alex had insisted on paying for all of the drinks because he ‘never goes back on his word’. Charlie walked Alex back to his car, earning additional congratulations and thanks for accepting the job offer. Instead of another handshake, Charlie pulled Alex in for a hug and the way Alex’s fingers grazed along Charlie’s torso did not go unnoticed. 

“We should do this again sometime.” Alex suggested, his voice strained a bit after inhaling that familiar scent.  _ He was really starting to like Cinnamon-boy. _

“I’d like that.” Charlie beamed, letting his grasp loosen as he pulled away from the hug. “Drive home, safe, okay?” 

“I’m not that far, but thanks. You too.” Alex smiled at the thoughtfulness.  _ There was that selflessness again. _

“Goodnight Alex.” 

“Goodnight Charlie.” 


	2. I Still Lose My Way From Time to Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a week since Charlie signed the contract with Blackbird Cafe, and his roommate really wants to know about the owner Charlie won't stop pining over. Some confessions seep to the surface but are not acted upon causing some angst between Alex and Charlie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: I started this idea for Chalex Week and decided to continue the CoffeeShop!AU ^_^ I hope you like the update! I think I’ll likely have a few parts to this story, so stay tuned for more. I also decided to add a few more 13RW characters into the AU for fun. I will updated the characters and tags as I go. This chapter title is from As It Is' "Until I Return".
> 
> Thank you @Canadian_31 for reassuring me about the angst being ok!]

A week had passed since Charlie signed the contract, pledging his allegiance to Blackbird Cafe as their signature baker. He’d crafted a simple menu based on the feedback from the team, and what would work best with his own schedule since he was now juggling two jobs. 

The worst part about the job was trying not to get lost in his feelings for Alex. He’d replayed their (as he considered it) first date in his mind on loop since he watched the barista get into his car and drive off. It had killed Charlie not to make a move beyond the hug. Alex had been so close to him he could’ve just gone in for a kiss. But Charlie had boundaries, and was still trying to figure out if Alex was just a good flirt, or if he genuinely had feelings for him. There was no point in making a fool of himself if it was all for not. He couldn’t risk it.

Though his roommate could do without the pining. Charlie would be up bright and early at 5:00 a.m. baking in their shared kitchen and humming away to himself. His roommate, Tony, was not really a morning person so the pair of them had compromised that as long as Charlie was going to keep up with this baking-when-the-sun-comes-up habit, he was required to make breakfast as well. Tony wouldn’t admit it because there was only so much free time he could devote to listening to Charlie winge on about all-mighty  _ Alex  _ (who Tony kept reminding was his _ boss _ ), but he thoroughly enjoyed the baked goods since he had a major sweet tooth. 

For shits and giggles, Tony decided that this morning he would accompany Charlie to the coffee shop to catch a glimpse of the man who’d captivated his roommates’ attention. 

“Is that him?” Tony asked, elbowing Charlie in the ribs as he held the door open for Charlie who was carrying four tupperware containers of treats and insisted he was perfectly fine to manage himself. 

Charlie lowered the containers to catch a glimpse of the counter. “No,” He frowned, “That’s Justin. He must be in the back.” Tony helped Charlie navigate around the tables towards the counter, dropping off the containers. “Hey Justin. How’s your morning going so far?” Charlie smiled politely as he started arranging the baked goods in the glass cabinet. 

“Rough. I’ve already downed four cups and had to brew a new pot.” Justin smirked. “Don’t tell Alex. Sneaking free coffee is my favourite perk of the job.” He yawned into the crook of his elbow, and closed the cabinets he’d been refilling before coming over to help Charlie. “Had a late night, if you know what I mean.” 

Charlie noticed the bruised mark peeking out from the collar of his shirt and scoffed. “Yeah, I think I know.” 

Justin glanced up at Tony who’d taken a seat at one of the empty tables. “Who’s your friend?” 

“That’s Tony. He’s my roommate.” Charlie advised, stacking the scones in the glass tray by the register. “Do you want something, or are you just going to sit there watching us?” He teased, causing Tony to look up from his phone. 

“Well technically you’re not open for another half-hour apparently, so excuse me for being polite.” Tony flipped him the middle finger jokingly, as Justin slid around the counter to properly introduce himself. 

“Hi, I’m Justin.” The barista smiled, holding out his hand as Tony shook it. 

“Tony. Nice to meet you.” 

“Can I get you anything? Alex is in the back with our HR Rep, so I can sneak you a freebie.” Justin shrugged, “You good at keeping secrets?”

Tony smiled in reply. “Take ‘em to the grave.” 

“My kinda guy.” Justin grinned, clapping Tony on the shoulder. “What can I get you?” 

“Just a dark roast is fine, thanks.” Tony requested, as Justin returned to the other side of the counter and started brewing his coffee. 

“Why is Alex meeting with HR?” Charlie asked, nervous that he was the subject matter of discussion. 

“Think they’re just sorting out paperwork.” Justin advised, brewing Tony’s coffee into a to-go cup. 

Charlie hoped that was the case, closing the lid on the tray, and returning to the cabinet to line up his pastries. He’d only met the Human Resources Representative once when they reviewed his official contract. They seemed nice, but Charlie was still wary that he had to remain on his best behaviour. He didn’t want to lose the opportunity before it even got fully off the ground. 

“Speak of the devil.” Justin teased as Alex opened the door at the other end of the room, holding a black folder and shaking hands with the clean cut HR Rep. 

Justin quickly set Tony’s coffee on the counter, hidden behind the tupperware stack, and pretended to be restocking the pantry. 

Tony had been too preoccupied with the man in the doorway to grab his drink. “Who is that?” 

Charlie glanced through the glass, heart flipping at the sight of him. “Alex, duh.” He scoffed, struggling to take his eyes off Alex’s biceps that were surprisingly on display today in an olive coloured tank top, showcasing the tattoo Charlie kept thinking about tracing with his fingertips, along with a few others that Charlie wasn’t as familiar with. Charlie bit his lip, forcing himself to stay focused. 

“No, him.” Tony protested, pointing at the man shaking Alex’s hand. 

“Oh, that’s Caleb.” Justin answered, “He’s HR, works remotely so he’s not here too often. Maybe once a month, or if something comes up.” He explained, categorizing the loose leaf tea. 

“It’s my lucky day, I guess.” Tony smirked, getting up off his chair and returning to the counter. “Charlie, introduce me, would you?” 

“What? No!” Charlie protested, content to hide behind the counter. 

“Fine, I’ll do it myself.” Tony shrugged, walking across the room. 

Charlie groaned, scurrying to get off his knees and run after Tony. “ _ Tony _ !” He hissed through his teeth, though his protests were ignored. 

“Hi, you must be Alex!” Tony grinned, reaching out his hand between the two men. “I’m Tony, Charlie’s roommate. Thanks so much for offering him the job. I’ve definitely benefited from the menu taste-tests.” He joked, wincing as Charlie gripped his shoulder from behind. 

“ _ Excuse him _ .” Charlie smiled, settling into his best keep-it-together survival mode. He was already planning on paying Tony back for the outburst, and was debating between adding tablespoons of cayenne pepper in his doughnut dough or replacing mayonnaise for cream cheese in Tony’s beloved cheesecakes.

Alex returned the handshake, caught a bit off guard by the forwardness. “It’s fine. Nice to meet you, Tony.” He glanced at Caleb who held out his hand next to avoid being rude. “This is Caleb, he’s our Human Resources Manager.” 

“How are you wearing that jacket in his heat?” Caleb grinned, remarking on Tony’s leather clad appearance. 

“I’m dedicated to the look.” Tony smirked. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Caleb.” His voice so heavy with flattery that Charlie could feel himself paling with embarrassment. He had to get Tony out of there before this got worse. 

“You as well.” Caleb smiled politely, “Good to see you again, Charlie. We’ve finalized all your paperwork, and spoke with the insurance company, so Alex will give you copies for your records. Again, welcome to the team.” Caleb reassured, shaking Charlie’s hand. 

“Thank you, sir.” Charlie shook his hand firmly, and nodded in reply. 

“Caleb, please. I told you I’m not that formal.” Caleb advised with a kind smile. “I’d better be going. I’ll check in with you in a few weeks to see how everything’s going. Feel free to call if you need anything in the meantime.” Caleb spoke with Justin at the counter briefly before leaving the shop. 

“Give me his number.” Tony whispered to Charlie, earning a glare in reply. 

“Don’t you need to get to work?” Charlie reminded, eager to have Tony quit the embarrassment while he was ahead. 

“Shit, yeah.” Tony frowned, looking at his watch. “It was great to meet you,  _ Alex _ .” He replied with a shit-eating grin that made Charlie’s blood curdle. 

“You too.” Alex smiled back as Tony took his leave, thanking Justin again and snagging the free coffee on his way out. “ _ Hey. _ ” Alex returned his attention to Charlie who looked like he was going to pass out from nerves (or from sheer attraction to Alex in sleeveless shirts). How he had the audacity to look that good and act so nonchalant about it was stressing Charlie out.

“ _ Hey _ . Sorry about that.” Charlie muttered quietly as they started back towards the counter. 

“It’s fine. I like meeting your friends.” Alex shrugged, noting the blush on Charlie’s cheeks. Cinnamon-boy smelled like oranges today.

_ I thought we were supposed to keep boundaries? _

“How was your weekend?” Alex asked as they started back towards the counter. 

“It was alright, yours?” Charlie asked, still focused on the black folder in Alex’s left arm.

“I actually went home and visited my family. It was my mum’s birthday on Saturday, so we just had a little get together.” Alex explained, eyeing the glass cabinet. “Oh good, you brought the cinnamon bagels. They’re my favourite.” 

“That’s nice.” Charlie smiled fondly, appreciating the new example of the barista’s thoughtfulness. “Yeah, and I brought some orange glazed scones. Thought they’d pair well with your cocoa dark roast blend.” 

“Always full of surprises.” Alex noted, cheekily opening the tray and taking a bite of the new scone recipe. “I like this. It’s a bit sweet, but I can see how the coffee would tone it down.” 

“Thanks!” Charlie beamed. “I’d better finish up, and let you get back.” 

“Oh, I have to give you your copies.” He advised, setting the scone down on the counter and licking the glaze off his thumb. “I’ll be right back.”

_ Why? Why do you have to torture me? _ Charlie pouted, captivated by the gesture that of course he took in a sexual manner. 

He slipped behind the counter and ignored the heat in his khakis. Charlie finished his presentation of pastries, and shut the cabinet door, collecting his empty containers and taking the extras to the kitchen. “I’ll just set these in the fridge, okay?” He informed Justin, as he took a moment to breathe in the empty room. 

Sighing, Charlie stood in the doorway, letting the cold air calm him down in both aspects of the word. He was treading on dangerous territory and needed to get a grip -  _ not in that way. _ He reminded himself, as he shut the fridge door.

He exited the kitchen and spoke with Justin for a few moments until Alex returned with the folder. “I just left my copies in the office, so you can take the folder. Like Caleb said, you’re all set, and on the books.” He advised, passing the folder to Charlie. 

“Thank you.” Charlie smiled softly, setting the folder on top of the tupperware containers and reluctantly taking his leave. “I’ll see you tomorrow?” 

“Sure.” Alex smiled, “Stay cool out there, it’s a hot one. You can always stop by on your lunch if you want an iced coffee.” He offered, earning a side-eye from Justin. 

_ Did he want me to come back? Or was he just being polite? _

“I might have to take you up on that.” Charlie grinned, appreciating the excuse to see Alex again, especially in that shirt. 

* * *

Working at the bakery absolutely sucked on scorching days like this. Sometimes Charlie wished they could just take off their professional uniforms and just bake in the nude with aprons on. He was also finding it difficult to keep his butter cold for the croissants he was baking. By the time 1:00 p.m. rolled around, Charlie was eager to get out of the kitchen. 

**Charlie St. George:** Does the iced coffee offer still stand?    
**Alex Standall:** Of course. Thought you were standing me up 😉

Charlie ran his fingers through his hair as he stripped off his uniform and shrugged on his clothes from the morning, a white linen t-shirt and his khaki shorts. 

_ You didn’t casually use phrases like ‘standing me up’ and wink emojis if you were just friends, right?  _

**Charlie St. George:** Be there in fifteen  
**Alex Standall:** I’ll save your regular table

Charlie pocketed his phone and hung up his uniform before clocking out for his lunch hour. He drove over to the cafe, and smiled proudly at the number of patrons inside. Whether it was the air conditioning, or the actual menu, Charlie was glad Alex was receiving more publicity.

“Charlie!” Alex waved, as he saw the brunette make his way through the front doors. He’d taken it upon himself to have Charlie’s coffee ready because that was the nice thing to do, and nothing to do with the ulterior motives that Justin had teased him about ever since he’d noticed the pairs’ interaction this morning.

His heartbeat quickened as he saw Alex again in the same outfit. Of course he was now wearing his apron, but it still gave the same view that Charlie had spent his entire morning shift thinking about. 

He joined Alex at his usual table, and thanked him for the coffee, protesting that he needed to pay for it despite Alex’s ignorance. “It’s my treat.” Charlie made a note to pay Justin before he left. 

“It’s busy.” Charlie smiled, seeing Alex’s face light up. 

“Yeah, it’s been great!” He beamed, sighing in content. “I actually had to call in Ani to help cover the shifts.”

“I don’t want to be a distraction if you’re supposed to be covering-” 

Alex interrupted him, placing his hand on top of Charlie’s. “You’re not.” He reassured, his voice smooth like buttered caramel which of course gave Charlie a new pastry idea.

“ _ Okay.”  _ He swallowed, not daring to move his hand now that Alex was basically holding it and decided to sip his iced coffee in his free hand.

“How’s your morning been?” Alex asked, tentatively loosening his grip on Charlie’s hand. 

“Hot.” Charlie groaned, “Sucks being in with multiple 400 degree ovens in this heat.” 

“Your scones have been a hit.” Alex encouraged, watching Charlie perk up at the compliment. 

“Oh good!” He grinned widely. 

“I really admire how dedicated you are. It’s really sweet how much you care. You don’t have to keep thinking up new recipes, you know. You must be busy enough…but I do appreciate it.” Alex smiled softly, brushing his thumb against Charlie’s knuckles and then realizing how obvious the gesture was, he reluctantly pulled his hand away.

_ You idiot.  _ He wiped his hands on his apron and kept them in his lap. 

Charlie felt like the ice cubes ran straight through his veins as Alex let go of his hand.  _ Shit. _ “It’s no trouble.” He confessed, trying not to show the pain in his expression. Maybe Alex had talked to Caleb? Maybe he hadn’t been wrong to set boundaries? Had he told Caleb they’d gone out? Were they actually not allowed to date if they were working together? Charlie took another sip of the coffee hoping it would freeze his brain and stop the anxious thoughts. 

“Uh, I was going to have the first open mic night on Friday?” Alex muttered, changing the subject. 

Charlie unpacked his lunch, and started picking away at the pasta salad to try and keep himself occupied. “Oh yeah? That’s good.” 

“My friend is going to come photograph it and help with promotion.” Alex explained, noticing the cinnamon-boy’s defeated demeanour. He swallowed back his guilt. “You should come…if you don’t have any plans?” 

Charlie perked up at the invitation. “Why?”  _ Was this a date? Or just some kind of team-building thing? _

Alex scoffed, covering his heart dramatically with a curled fist. “Wow, way to make a guy feel bad. Can’t I just invite you without any motives?” 

Charlie smirked at the gesture. “No, I require that information up front.”

“I think it will be fun.” Alex smiled back, “I want you to come; I like hanging out with you.” He confessed, watching Charlie’s shoulders relax.  _ Grow some balls and ask him.  _ “Don’t you?” He inquired, testing the waters. 

Charlie shoved a forkful of pasta in his mouth so he didn’t have to answer immediately.  _ What answer did he want to hear?  _ “I mean, I don’t hate your company, obviously.” He smirked, hoping that humor would distract from the real confessions he was trying his best not to admit. 

“Oh, as long as you don’t hate it.” Alex grinned. “I’ll send you the details. You can bring friends if you want?” He offered, trying not to be as conspicuous. 

_ Oh. _ Charlie frowned.  _ I am just making this all up in my head. _ Alex was probably bringing friends too, he already said his friend was taking photographs.  _ Damnit. _ Charlie had honestly thought there was something there after their dinner. He’d talked Tony’s ear off about it ever since. Why did he rush into things like this? He knew it only brought disappointment. “Yeah I’ll see what happens.” Charlie replied meekly, not feeling all that hungry anymore.

_ Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.  _ Alex swore at himself, running a hand through his hair. “Well, you don’t have to. Just wanted to extend the invite.” He panicked, struggling with how to fix the awkwardness that had engulfed the table. “ But if it’s not your thing… _ We _ could do something else?” 

Charlie furrowed his brow at Alex instinctively. “We?” 

“We, otherwise known as you and I. Me and you. Us.” Alex teased, laughing nervously. 

_ What the hell?  _

Charlie picked at his food, swallowing back his emotions. He had to remember to keep his composure. “What would you want to do?” 

“Uh, I don’t know.” Alex admitted, scrambling to come up with reasoning. “I just meant that if you didn’t want to hang out at work, we could go somewhere else?”

“With  _ friends _ ?” Charlie asked, forgetting to mask the bitterness in his tone. 

_ Oh.  _ Alex frowned at the reaction. Maybe it was just the heat getting to him, but Alex had never seen this side of Charlie and was nervous how to respond. He’d obviously upset the boy, and didn’t want to make things worse. “Charlie, are you mad at me?” 

It broke Charlie’s heart to hear the fragility in Alex’s voice. “No.” He sighed, “Just confused.” 

Alex couldn’t pretend not to understand what Charlie was hinting at. “I just didn’t want to be too forward.” He confessed, “I’m still getting to know you, and I don’t want to take things too fast.” 

_ So you do like me?  _ Charlie was tempted to ask but before he could, Alex’s phone went off. 

“Shit, sorry. I have to take this.” Alex apologized, getting up from the table to take the call. 

Charlie glanced at his own phone, groaning at the time. He only had another half hour of his break, it would take him another fifteen minutes to drive back, and that didn’t leave him enough time to have  _ this _ conversation, especially around a bunch of strangers.

Charlie packed up his food and sipped more of his coffee while Alex tried to wrap up the call. Why had he reacted that way? Why was he being so defensive? Well, Charlie knew why, and he also knew the implications if he admitted it.

Alex mouthed an ‘I’m sorry’ as Charlie sat awkwardly at the table preoccupied by the time constraints and replaying the scene in his mind, wanting nothing more than to erase his reaction, and get the heck out of there. _‘Charlie,_ _are you mad at me?’_ How could he screw this up so early? Alex seemed so hurt by his words and now he couldn’t take that back. He could only stew on it and debate what to say next.

“Alright, that works fine, just check in with me by Thursday morning. Okay, I’ll talk to you later. Thanks Ty.” Alex finished the conversation and cautiously sat back across from Charlie. “I’m sorry about that.” He apologized again, causing the pit in Charlie’s stomach to deepen.

“I’m sorry, too.” Charlie admitted, “I didn’t mean to make you upset, and I really want to finish this conversation, but I have to get back to work in fifteen minutes…” He frowned, watching Alex’s shoulders drop. 

“Oh, okay.” Alex sighed, “We can talk about it later.”  _ Maybe Charlie was trying to brush him off?  _ Alex had been used to rejection, so his defense mechanism was to pretend he didn’t care, but it was hard to keep up that facade because he genuinely did care about cinnamon-boy.  _ Damn him.  _

“Alex?” Charlie started and then lost his gumption when he met Alex’s eager eyes so full of confusion and optimism that it made Charlie’s confidence falter. 

“Yes?” He asked softly, watching the strain in Charlie’s face, he set his hands back on the table, inching his left hand closer towards Charlie’s only to feel the harsh sting of rejection when Charlie stood up iced coffee in hand. 

“Uh, I should go.” Charlie muttered, avoiding Alex’s eyes as he spun on his heel. 

_ Charlie, wait! _ Alex wanted to protest but the words didn’t slip past his lips. He silently watched Charlie walk away from him, fish cash out his wallet to put in the tip jar, and the black wooden doors close behind him. 

The next few hours felt like a blur. Charlie hit every red light on the way back to the bakery, sweat through his uniform, had to pitch an entire batch of croissants - getting a scolding from his coworker, and replayed the disaster of his lunch hour through his mind.  _ How am I supposed to face him after that? _

Alex’s afternoon hadn’t been much better, he’d completely forgotten an order earning a shitty ear full from the customer, had mixed up three orders, and spilled coffee grounds on himself all within the first hour after Charlie had left. He’d made Justin and Ani take the baked good orders because he didn’t want to be reminded of how quickly things had changed since the morning. Maybe he should’ve just been more straightforward and told Charlie how he felt?  _ Why did I have to tell him to bring friends? Of course he was confused.  _ He’d done the same defence when asking Charlie out for dinner, blaming it on the contract, and trying to distract from the fact it was basically a date. What if he’d lost Charlie for good because he couldn’t be honest? Sure it was early, but how long would it take for the timing to be right? What if he risked Charlie giving up on him if he waited too long? Why did things have to be so complicated? 

After he got home, Charlie locked himself in the bathroom and tried to shower off all the disdain he felt. It didn’t work, so instead he returned to the kitchen and did what he knew he was good at. 

“Are you baking again?” Tony asked, getting a whiff of peanut butter in the air as he walked in the door. He shrugged off his jacket in the hallway, and caught sight of his distraught friend, crying over peanut butter cookies. “Man, what happened?” 

“I think I fucked it up.” Charlie sniffled, wiping his nose with the shark oven mitts Tony had gifted him last Christmas. Tony grimaced at the act, and proceeded to snag the oven mitts off Charlie’s hands, and pull his roommate into a hug instead. 

“Whatever you did, I’m sure it can be fixed.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: Please don't hate me for the angsty cliffhanger!!! ;)]


	3. I Need You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie and Alex tiptoe around their feelings until Open Mic Night at Blackbird Cafe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: The song mentioned during the open mic is “The Handwritten Letter (Reimagined)” by As It Is.]

[Tuesday]

Alex opened the shop early the next morning. He needed an hour alone to lose himself in anything other than Charlie. He’d barely slept, his mind kept replaying yesterday’s conversation. How withdrawn Charlie had become after Alex had foolishly tried to hide his intentions. 

He’d considered texting him last night, but he couldn’t find the right words. He didn’t know what to say without risking the truth slipping out.

Charlie had planned on leaving this morning’s order on the counter, and storing the apologetic peanut butter cookies in the back room with a note, too anxious to speak the words to Alex’s face. Of course (why was he surprised?) fate intervened. 

The door opened, catching the chime and Alex’s attention.

“Hello?” 

Who could be here this early? Damnit, he must have forgotten to lock the door.

Charlie bit back a curse as Alex’s head popped up from the counter as the door chimed.  _ Shit. He’s here. _

“Charlie?”

That explained it; Charlie had a key to the cafe. At least Alex wasn’t completely losing his mind.

“You’re here early.” Charlie commented quietly, transferring the tupperware containers to the counter. 

“So are you.” Alex noted, fiddling with the tie of his apron as a distraction. 

Charlie shrugged and started unpacking the orders. “I uh, actually have an early shift, so I thought I’d just drop these off.” He confessed, stretching the truth. Sure, his shift was earlier today, but not 6:30 a.m. early.

“Oh, okay.” Alex swallowed, frowning at Charlie’s mannerisms. How had he muddied the waters this badly? Alex swore he’d never seen Charlie look so defeated, and he hated that, even more so thinking that he was the cause of it. “Sure, that’s fine, I’ll take care of it.” 

Charlie shuffled his toe against the counter as Alex started opening the cabinet to begin arranging his pastries in the display case. “Alex?” 

The barista’s eyes met Charlie’s noticing the red-rimmed exhaustion he was all too familiar with. “Yeah?” 

_ Please don’t leave again. _

“These are for you.” Charlie admitted, handing over a smaller container with a pale yellow post-it note taped on the lid. “I’m pretty sure you’re not allergic to peanuts.” 

Alex smiled softly at the outreach, taking the container from Charlie’s hand and wanting nothing more than to take his hand instead of the tupperware. “I’m not allergic to anything you bake.” He teased, causing Charlie to smirk at the compliment. 

“I’d hope not.” He replied, swallowing as Alex’s eyes drifted to the note. 

Alex’s heart leapt reading Charlie’s handwriting:  _ Alex, I’m really sorry about yesterday. I hope you’re not mad at me. In case you are, I hope peanut butter cookies are a good apology. They’re soft and gooey just like my self-esteem right now. I hope you can forgive me for being rude.  _

“Charlie, why are you apologizing?” Alex asked, knitting his eyebrows together at the note. 

“Uh, well, because I left.” Charlie shrugged, darting his eyes to the floor to avoid Alex’s gaze. 

“You had to get back to work.” Alex replied, avoiding pressing the issue further. It was obvious Charlie’s mannerisms changed after Alex brought up hanging out with friends, but he wasn’t ready to hear the explanation just yet.

Charlie scratched the back of his neck, “Yeah, well, that conversation was a little rough and I shouldn’t have just walked out like that, so.”

Alex frowned at the reminder, questioning what Charlie’s response would have been if his phone hadn’t interrupted them. “You didn’t have to do this.” 

Cinnamon boy smiled shyly, “It’s fine. I wanted to.”  _ I wanted to tell you how I feel too, but that’s not happening now.  _

“Can I at least make you something in return?” Alex asked, glancing at the clock. 

Charlie sighed. Who was he kidding, seeing Alex was the best part of his day. Avoiding him was only going to make the problem fester. “I guess I could spare a few minutes. Here, I’ll do that.” He stated, gesturing to the baked goods as he slid behind the counter to take over Alex’s position as he left to make Charlie’s coffee. 

Alex brewed Charlie’s coffee in silence, nervous to ruin the mood by asking questions. The pair of them busied themselves in a failed attempt at pretending things were fine. 

“I brought apple cinnamon muffins today.” Charlie explained, stacking the muffins in the middle shelf. “And blueberry scones, ginger snaps, and a lemon poppyseed loaf.” 

“Plus peanut butter cookies? How did you get that all done by 6:00 a.m.?” Alex asked as he started on the latte art. 

“I made all the cookies last night, and had the dough ready for the scones.” Charlie replied, arranging the loaf slices next to the muffins.

Alex smiled at cinnamon-boy’s dedication. He made it seem effortless, but Alex knew he must spend hours in the kitchen and did most of it out of pure enjoyment. 

“Did you get the overachiever award in school?” Alex teased, grabbing a lid for the to-go cup and gently pressing it around the rim, scribbling on the top and setting it beside the cash register. 

“Not in everything.” Charlie smirked, turning around to face Alex who was leaning against the register smiling down at him. 

“I’ll finish that, I don’t want to make you late for work.” Alex advised, shoeing Charlie from the cabinet, and offering him a hand. 

_ Right, work.  _ The exaggerated truth Charlie obviously forgot.

“Yeah.” Charlie sighed, taking Alex’s hand and remembering exactly why he’d wanted to drop everything off and leave. Alex’s palm fit so well in his own. He just wanted to lace his fingers through Alex’s and never let go. 

Unfortunately he did, and awkwardly side stepped around Alex to the other side of the counter. “I hope you have a better day, today.” Charlie offered with a small smile, grabbing the coffee cup. “Thanks for this.” 

“Open the lid.” Alex advised, sighing as Charlie stepped away from the counter. “Thanks for the cookies.” He smiled fondly, “I hope you have a good day, too. Try not to let those ovens get to you.” 

Charlie grinned at the comment, and reluctantly turned his back to the barista, exiting the cafe and glancing down at the note on his coffee cup.  _ Apology accepted Y/N? _

He did as he was told, and removed the lid from his cup, revealing the white silhouette of the familiar bird inked on Alex’s arm and a single word written in caramel sauce script,  _ Duh. _

~

Charlie spent the morning avoiding his phone, and focusing on not burning anything today. When lunchtime rolled around his stomach growled, reminding him of yesterday’s kerfuffle. Out of nostalgic comfort, Charlie ate his peanut butter and jam sandwiches in the lunch room and pulled out his phone. 

4 New Messages:

(7:46 a.m.)  **Alex Standall:** ate 4 of ur cookies and it’s not even 8am   
(7:51 a.m.)  **Alex Standall:** they’re addictive   
(7:53 a.m.)  **Alex Standall:** apology cookies are my new fave   
(8:39 a.m.)  **Alex Standall:** hope ur ok

A smile grew on his lips as he read the messages. Things were by no means back to normal, but at least his cookies had worked their magic. 

(12:04 p.m.)  **Charlie St. George:** bit better today 🙂 you?

(12:11 p.m.)  **Alex Standall:** same 

(12:13 p.m.)  **Charlie St. George:** honoured you like the cookies

_ I like you too.  _

  
(12:15 p.m.)  **Alex Standall:** i could say the same about u

_ What? _

(12:17 p.m.)  **Alex Standall:** liking the cafe

There it was again, the pit of disappointment in his stomach. Maybe he was truly exaggerating things? 

~

“How did it go today?” Tony asked as Charlie kicked off his sneakers in the entryway, slumping into the living room and flopping himself down on the couch. Tony was cooking dinner in the kitchen. 

As much as Charlie had been baking, he wasn’t eating well, and Tony felt it was the least he could do, if only to avoid seeing his roommate polishing off another tub of ice cream in front of the TV. 

“Fine.” Charlie sighed, running a hand through his hair. “He liked the cookies, so that’s something.” 

“See. Told you it would be fine.” Tony smirked, 

“What are you making?” Charlie asked, 

“Actual food so that you’ll eat dinner.” Tony advised, stirring the ground beef in the frying pan. 

“I eat!” Charlie protested, straightening up to pout at Tony from above the back of the couch.

“Emotional-support ice cream doesn’t count as a meal.” Tony glared, turning off the stove and draining the ground beef in the sink. 

Charlie smirked at the attempted reprimand. “Alright, you made your point.” 

“I’m making enchiladas, and we can eat them in front of the TV watching shitty romcoms until you feel better. If I hear the Titanic theme coming from your room, one more time I swear.” Tony teased, though the compassion in his words was clear. 

“Thanks Tony.” Charlie smiled shyly, appreciating the selfless consideration his roommate showed. 

“Just buttering you up so you’ll give me Caleb’s number.” 

~

“What happened with you and Charlie?” Justin asked cautiously as the pair of baristas cleared the tables after closing. 

“Um, nothing?” Alex shrugged, collecting the mugs and avoiding Justin’s sympathetic gaze. 

“He walked out of here like a kicked puppy.” Justin replied, collecting the plates and cutlery from the tables.

“You don’t have to remind me.” Alex scoffed, wiping down the table with his free hand. 

“Alex, whatever happened, you need to talk about it. It’s not good to ignore things that are obviously bothering you.” Justin advised, “It doesn’t make them go away, just makes them hurt more when you finally face them.” He frowned, watching Alex carry the mugs back to the kitchen. “Sure, just walk away and ignore me.” Justin muttered under his breath.

Alex set the mugs in the sink and slid down the floor, his back against the counter. He held his head in his hands, debating the available solutions to his problem.  _ Problem. _ He didn’t like calling it that. Charlie wasn’t a problem; he was anything but. Justin was right, he couldn’t avoid the truth forever; it wasn’t fair to Charlie. Of course there would be complications, but Alex couldn’t determine a reason not to tell Charlie how he felt. 

He pulled his phone out of his pocket, sighing at the checkmark next to his last message. Charlie had read it but hadn’t replied, and that was nearly seven hours ago. Alex closed the chat, and instead opened his contact list, scrolling to the bottom and clicking on the best person that could offer him honest advice. 

“Hey, Tyler? I need your help.” 

* * *

[Wednesday]

The next day Alex had a fresh cup of coffee brewed for Charlie when he walked in at his usual time smelling of pecans. 

“Hi stranger.” Alex smiled as Charlie walked in with his containers of baked goods. “You smell like pumpkin spice. I know I own a coffee shop, but not all of us succumb to the leech that is  _ pumpkin spice _ .” 

Charlie smirked as he set down the tupperware. “Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I  _ like _ pumpkin spice.”

“Of course you do.” Alex returned the gesture, his chest heaving at the normalcy of their interactions. “What did you bring today?”

“Pecan pie muffins!” Charlie beamed, opening the container. “I thought them up last night. They have a filling in the middle. Try it!” 

Alex smiled softly at the enthusiasm. It was one of his favourite things about the baker. He seemed to constantly embody a warm comfort that Alex would never tire of. Charlie was so passionate and caring and had such a selflessness about him that made Alex want to show him just how meaningful he truly was.

He opened the tupperware, watching Charlie’s face light up. Alex liked being the cause of that. 

“You’re something else.” He smirked, taking a piece of muffin off with his fingertips and popping it in his mouth. 

“You’ll have to eat the whole thing for the full pie effect, but Tony liked them.” Charlie commented, watching for the barista’s reaction.

Alex smiled at Charlie’s eagerness, nodding “It’s good. As usual.” He smiled, saving the remainder of the muffin for later. “I uh, made you a coffee. It’s hazelnut flavoured with a caramel syrup. I know you’ve got a sweet tooth.” 

Charlie glanced at the mug, smiling at the thoughtfulness. “Why isn’t it in a to-go cup?” He inquired, unpacking the remainder of the baked goods. 

“I wanted to talk to you.” Alex advised, sliding around the other side of the counter. “If you have time?” 

“Sure.” Charlie smiled, taking the mug and following Alex to his usual table. 

“So, you know how I mentioned the open mic night on Friday?” Alex asked, scratching the back of his neck. 

Charlie took a sip of the coffee before replying. “Yeah.” 

“Are you coming?” Alex asked, trying to bury the hopefulness in his voice. 

Charlie sipped his coffee while he debated his response. “I mentioned it to Tony; he was interested.” 

“That’s good. Uh, if Tony didn’t make it, would that be fine too?” Alex asked, watching Charlie’s eyes widen over the rim of his mug. 

“Yes? I thought you wanted me to bring friends.” Charlie noted, setting down the mug.

  
  


“Yeah, but I just want to make sure you’re going to be there.” Alex admitted, pocketing his hands in his apron to avoid the urge to take Charlie’s.

“It obviously means a lot to you, so yeah, I’ll be there, Alex.” Charlie smiled at the relief in Alex’s face. 

“Thank you.” 

* * *

[Friday Night]

Alex swallowed as he tugged at his guitar strap and stepped onto the makeshift stage. The stool was a bit rickety but not as bad as his knees. He forced himself to maintain the bravery and continue with his plan. Alex sighed as he set the guitar on his thigh and started strumming. 

_ What if he hates this? _ _   
_ _ What if he doesn’t?  _ _   
_ _ Then what? _

The first few cords were quiet, and his voice cracked into the mic as he began singing, keeping his eyes on the strings to avoid Charlie’s gaze. 

“There’s a song that sounds a lot like you. It pulls me up, just like it pulls me apart. Optimistic meets a dismal tune. You're all the while, broken and mended hearts.” He swallowed as he peered out through his eyelashes to see Tyler snapping photos in the front, and Charlie -  _ sweet, cinnamon-smelling Charlie _ \- at his usual table. His glossy eyes were fixated on Alex intently; arms crossed on the tabletop and fingers cupped around the mug, his fingertips looped through the handle of the mug and laced together as if he were clutching the tea for dear life. 

Alex kept himself focused on the lyrics, ensuring he spoke them clearly so Charlie would understand this gesture was meant to be his apology and confession rolled into one. 

“I know I’m not enough out here on my own. No I’m not enough. I need you when I’m bruised and broken. It’s all that keeps me here and hoping. Tangled in your mind unwoven. I need you when I’m bruised, I need you when I’m broken.” 

His fingers strummed the chords he’d memorized by heart. After seeing how distraught Charlie had been since he’d walked out of the cafe on Monday afternoon, Alex was determined to find a sincere way to apologize, so he’d spent the past few nights memorizing chords and lyrics and annoying Tyler with questions. 

_ Do you think he’ll understand that I’m sorry?  _ _   
_ _ Is it too obvious? _ _   
_ _ Is it too dark?  _ _   
_ _ Do you think he’ll like it?  _ _   
_ _ Do you think he’ll like me?  _

After four nights in a row of reassurance and lack of sleep Alex was confident in his decision. He hadn’t admitted he’d be participating in the open mic night he was hosting; he thought it was better to surprise Charlie. 

And surprise him he did. 

Alex couldn’t fully tell Charlie’s reaction from the stage but it was obvious that he’d captured his attention. Cinnamon boy’s lips had parted in shock and he hadn’t taken his eyes off him.

Charlie’s knuckles were pale as his grip increased on the lukewarm tea he’d been sipping. Alex was on stage with a  _ fucking guitar _ singing in this soft, raspy tone that Charlie couldn’t stop drooling over.

His stomach lurched as Alex slung his guitar over his shoulder and stepped on the stage. The tattoos, compliments, and smirks had been one thing, but seeing Alex on stage brought Charlie a whole new level of swooning. 

He couldn’t take his eyes off the barista. It seemed so effortless the way Alex’s fingertips strummed the chords. Charlie remembered that Alex had mentioned he’d been in a jazz band before, but he never imagined he’d be this good. Charlie’s breath caught in his throat when Alex started singing. His voice was decadent, something to savour, and Charlie was doing just that.

“You take my silences and make them less alone. Fresh coat of paint inside my coffin so it feels like home. I know I'm not enough, out on my own. No, I'm not enough. I need you when I’m bruised and broken. It’s all that keeps me here and hoping.”

Alex knew he’d chosen a darker song to serenade Charlie with, but he had a fondness for them. He’d fought with Tyler that there was no way in hell he was going to sing some sappy love song, and convinced him that the stripped down version of the song was perfect for the setting. If he was going to do this, he was going to do it his way, and that meant including the baggage that came with it. 

What if Tyler was right? What if he had gone too far?   
He was singing about _fucking_ _coffins_. Maybe this was too morbid.

Alex looked up from the mic at Charlie’s table, catching the boy’s wide grin and sighing in relief. 

Though he’d only known Charlie for a month, that was enough for his stubborn heart to soften under cinnamon-boy’s optimism and compassion. Every morning he looked forward to seeing Charlie’s cheerful smile waltz through the door with a fresh set of baked goods. Every night he fell asleep missing the boy’s cologne and wondering why he minded so much. Not to mention the dream he’d woken up in a sweat from the night they’d gone for drinks and Charlie had been wearing  _ that _ shirt. 

Alex knew why, he was just scared to admit it. 

The guitar strap tugging at his shoulder was nothing in comparison to the heaving of his heart as Charlie smiled at him in adoration. 

That’s what he wanted.  _ All he wanted.  _

“Tangled in your mind unwoven. I need you when I’m bruised. I need you when I’m broken.” 

Alex strummed the last few chords, daring to tear his eyes from Charlie’s, smiling to himself as he finished off the song and thanked the crowd for listening to him. He shifted his weight off the stool and walked off, placing his guitar back in its case. 

“Okay, I was wrong.” 

Tyler had abandoned his post, standing beside Alex who was knelt on the ground, clasping the buckles on his case together. He grabbed the cardigan he’d set aside and slung it over his forearm. Tyler offered him a hand up which Alex took despite the giant smirk on Tyler’s face. 

“Oh yeah? Don’t hear that too often.” Alex teased. 

“Your doom and gloom love song worked.” Tyler admitted, nodding over in Charlie’s direction. “I even have proof.” He smirked, raising his camera. 

Alex scoffed, shaking his head to avoid getting over-excited at the confirmation. “Thanks Ty. I’m gonna go talk to Charlie.”

“Finally.” Tyler muttered quiet enough so Alex wouldn’t hear and smiled at his friend’s bravery. 

Charlie gulped down the rest of his lukewarm tea as he watched Alex talking to his photographer friend. What was his name again? Tyson? No, Tyler. _ Tyler.  _ Charlie repeated it to himself internally to remember it later. 

_Shit. He’s coming over here._ _Shit._

Charlie swallowed back his nerves as Alex approached him. He’d shrugged back on the cardigan that was a little too big on him and Charlie resisted the urge to get up and hug him. 

_ Keep your cool. _

_ Cool? I’m not cool.  _

_ Look at how cute he is! _ _   
_ _ Okay. Focus.  _

“Hey.” 

Charlie straightened in his chair as Alex took the seat opposite him. “Alex… That was amazing.” 

Alex plucked up the courage to continue the confidence streak and took Charlie’s hand. “Can we talk? Like, outside?”

“Oh. Sure.” Charlie nodded, sliding off the chair and following Alex’s lead past the small crowd. Alex was still holding his hand, and Charlie didn’t dare let go. 

Alex pushed open the doorknob, sighing as the cool breeze hit them. It was dark enough that the streetlights had come on, but he could still see the anticipation in Charlie’s face as they walked onto the street. 

“Charlie?” 

“Yes?” 

Alex smirked at the worry in Charlie’s eyes. He squeezed the boy’s hand, staring into his eyes and counting the freckles on Charlie’s nose. “I wanted to apologize again for this week. I didn’t mean to make you upset.” 

“It’s not your fault.” Charlie shrugged, stroking his thumb along Alex’s palm. “I overreacted. I was just feeling like there were mixed signals.”

“There were, and I’m sorry about that. I was nervous about rushing into this.” Alex confessed, stepping forward to close the distance between them and causing Charlie to back against the alleyway. “I’m not anymore.” 

Charlie’s lips curled into a gentle smile, tentatively placing his free hand on Alex’s waist. “You’re not?” 

“Are you?” Alex asked, sliding his hand around the nape of Charlie’s neck. 

He ignored the protests about Human Resources, and boundaries, and the threats of losing the barista forever. 

“No.” Charlie admitted, gazing back into Alex’s bright eyes and pulling him in closer. “I really like you, Alex.” 

“I like you, too, Charlie.” Alex smiled fondly, sliding his fingers into Charlie’s hair. “Sorry I wasn’t more obvious before.” 

“Would you stop apologizing, and just let me kiss you?” Charlie replied, leaning down to press his lips against Alex’s. Just as he’d imagined they were soft but the intention behind them wasn’t. 

Alex kissed him back earnestly, happy to be silenced by Charlie’s lips. He caught Charlie’s bottom lip in his own, tightening the grip he had on Charlie’s hair. Charlie’s hold on his waist traveled to the small of his back, gently inching him closer. The fabric of Alex’s cardigan tickled the back of Charlie’s neck, but he didn’t mind. He was finally kissing Alex and nothing was going to stop this moment. 

Alex squeezed Charlie’s hand, reluctantly moving his lips to press a kiss against Charlie’s neck. The familiar cinnamon scent filled his senses and he sighed against Charlie’s skin. “I’ve wanted to do that for a while.” He confessed. 

“So have I.” Charlie grinned, pressing another kiss to Alex’s lips. “You don’t know how hard it was not to kiss you that night we went out for dinner.” 

“Oh, I remember.” Alex smirked, kissing Charlie back. “Part of me wanted you to, but…” 

Charlie shook his head, taking his hand from Alex’s back to instead cup Alex’s cheek. “I’m glad you didn’t because then I wouldn’t have gotten serenaded by you.” He smirked, causing Alex to roll his eyes. 

“I knew it was too much.” 

“No, I liked it.” Charlie protested, stroking Alex’s cheek. “I liked hearing how you felt, and watching you be that honest. I couldn’t take my eyes off you.”

“I kind of noticed that.” Alex admitted with a small smile. “I like you a lot, Charlie, and you deserved an explanation...I don’t want anything to change between us, besides maybe, officially, dating you.” 

Charlie blushed at the confession, grinning widely. “Are you asking me out?” 

Alex smirked in reply, pressing a kiss to Charlie’s lips. “Yes, I am asking you out on a real date - The kind that involves getting lost in each other's eyes across a restaurant table, holding hands in movie theatres, usually ending in doorstep kisses? You know, that kind. As long as you want to?” He teased watching Charlie’s face light up.

Charlie’s heart swelled at the words being admitted aloud. “Of course I do.” He smiled softly, cupping Alex’s cheeks as he kissed him back. 

Alex smiled into the kiss, proud of himself for having the courage to risk it all. And boy, how it had paid off. 

  
_ Cinnamon-boy was his.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [A/N: Please flail in the comments because I really liked writing this angsty fluff of a chapter! I think I’ll write a few more chapters in this if you’d like?]

**Author's Note:**

> [A/N: I had a different idea which I got stuck on because I was trying to weave it into canon which doesn’t really fit with the AU theme and this idea popped in my head, so I decided to go with it instead! 
> 
> My original idea was having Charlie work at Monet’s back in Season 2 and Alex meeting him way back then but it was stressing me out a bit so I saved it just in case I want to explore that idea later.
> 
> Please leave some comments if you'd like! I really enjoy hearing your thoughts! <3 XO]


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